B6085 - General Pathology and Pathology of Aquatic Animals

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the students will acquire understanding regarding general pathology, pathology, and the pathogenesis of main diseases affecting fish. Additionally, they acquire competence of necroscopic techniques and histology-based diagnostic methodologies.

Course contents

Lectures

• General concept of disease as a deviation from homeostasis, classification of the causes of disease. General adaptation syndrome. Etymological meaning of etiology, pathogenesis, disease (2 hours)
• Concept of cellular damage, reversible and irreversible; signal transduction and its modifications (2 hours)
• Adaptive processes: hypertrophy and hyperplasia; metaplasia, dysplasia, and anaplasia, examples of cellular adaptations in physiological conditions and in disease; some examples of adaptations in comparative pathology (2 hours)
• Degenerative changes characterized by intracellular accumulation (2 hours)
• Cell death. Pathways of cell death initiation—necrosis and apoptosis—and the main mechanisms involved (2 hours)
• Inflammation: cardinal signs, concept of exudate. Acute and chronic inflammation (2 hours)
• Hemodynamic disorders, circulatory disturbances (edema, hyperemia, hemorrhage, thrombosis, embolism) (2 hours)
• Environmental causes of disease (hypoxia, hypercapnia, hyperthermia/hypothermia, oversaturation of dissolved gases, nitrites and nitrates, ammonia, pH, GH and KH) (4 hours)
• Nutritional causes: vitamin deficiencies (2 hours)
• Nutritional causes: mineral imbalances (2 hours)
• Pathological calcifications (1 hour)
• Pathological pigmentations (1 hour)
• Systematic pathology of the main organs/apparatus of aquatic species, with reference to fish and mollusks. Pathologies of gills (4 hours), liver (2 hours), stomach and intestine (2 hours), kidney (2 hours), skin (4 hours), hematopoietic (2 hours), skeletal-muscular system (2 hours), eye and nervous system (2 hours).

  Exercises/Laboratories

• Histopathological preparations, including digital slides, as examples of some of the most relevant pathologies of aquatic animals, fish, and mollusks (12 hours)
• Slides from pathologic cases evaluation; how perform a necropsy investigation and sampling from fish species aimed at disease diagnosis (10 hours)
• Preparation of PowerPoint presentations in class and presentations to small groups of students or pairs on topics from the "Problem list" section of Noga's Fish Disease text (4 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials for this course are available on the Virtuale Learning Environment (https://virtuale.unibo.it/?lang=en ).

Supplementary reading:

• Robbins e Cotran- Le basi patologiche delle malattie- Vol. 1. Elsevier casa editrice
• Castagnaro M. et al., Patologia veterinaria sistematica. Elsevier casa editrice, 2008
• Roberts. Fish pathology. 4th edition. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
• Systemic pathology of fish. A text and atlas of normal tissues in teleosts and their responses in disease. 2nd edition. Scotian Press, 2006.
• Bruno, Noguera, Poppe: A colour atlas os salmonid diseases. Springer Verlag, 2013.
• Noga. Fish Disease Diagnosis and Treatment. Second Edition. Wiley- Blackwell, Iowa, 2010. 5-Eiras, Segner, Wahli, Kapoor. Fish diseases. Science Publishers, USA, 2008. 6- Woo & Bruno. Fish Disease and disorders. Second Edition. CAB International, UK, 2011.
• Eiras, Segner, Wahli, Kapoor. Fish diseases. Science Publishers, USA, 2008.
• Woo & Bruno. Fish Disease and disorders. Second Edition. CAB International, UK, 2011.
• The aquarium fish medicine handbook. Yanong RPE, Lewbart GA. CRC Press, 2024.
• Nutritional Fish and Shrimp Pathology: A Handbook. Tacon AGJ, Tran L. Part of the European Association of Fish Pathologies / 5m Books series.
• Aquaculture Pathophysiology Volume I. Finfish Diseases. F. S.B. Kibenge, B. Baldisserotto, R. S-M. Chong. Academic Press, 2022.

 

Teaching methods

The course includes both theoretical lectures and practical/laboratory sessions.

The methods used include the use of interactive tools such as Kahoot, group work with feedback on the activities carried out in the form of presentations accompanied by comments in the classroom, development and resolution of case studies, and laboratory exercises.

Considering the types of activities and teaching methods adopted, attendance for this course requires the successful completion of Modules 1 and 2 via e-learning, and Module 3 on health and safety training in study environments. Information about the schedule and access to Module 3 is available in the dedicated section of the Degree Program website.

Participation in practical and laboratory sessions requires wearing a lab coat and appropriate footwear. Suitable personal protective equipment (PPE), such as disposable latex gloves, will be provided as needed

Assessment methods

The assessment of learning for the course, which extends throughout the second year (September to June), consists of two parts:

The first part, which focuses on general pathology, consists of a written test comprising 12 multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question on the topics covered, designed to assess the acquisition of the required knowledge. Each of the 12 multiple-choice questions is worth two points (no points for a missing or incorrect answer). The open-ended question can range from 0 (no answer or incorrect answer) to 1 to 6, depending on the structure and presentation of the topic, which must be presented in a concise yet effective manner.

A minimum score of 18 is required for the exam.

The written exam lasts two hours and can only be taken at the end of the pathology classes, after the Christmas break, i.e., in January.

During the exam, the use of support materials or devices such as calculators, tablets, smartwatches, or computers is not permitted, except where is permitted by the instructor.

The results of the written exam will be communicated by the instructor within 5 working days.

The second part, which focuses on the pathological anatomy of aquatic species, a specialized discipline in itself, consists of an oral exam and a practical test. The test consists of three questions: tissue recognition, identification of the pathological process under a light microscope or using a digital image presented in class, and development of a diagnostic hypothesis. The test lasts approximately half an hour. This part is designed to assess the acquisition of specific communication and practical skills.

The oral exam and the practical test will be assessed using the following learning assessment scale:

- Knowledge of a very limited number of topics covered in the course and analytical ability that emerges only with the assistance of the instructor, generally correct language use → 18-22;

- Knowledge of a limited number of topics covered in the course and independent analytical ability only on purely executive questions, generally correct language use → 23-26;

-Knowledge of a wide range of topics covered in the course, ability to independently make critical analysis choices, mastery of specific terminology → 27-29;

- Substantially comprehensive knowledge of the topics covered in the course, ability to independently make critical analysis and connection choices, full mastery of specific terminology, and ability to argue and self-reflect → 30-30L.

The oral and practical exam grade will be communicated at the end of the exam. A minimum score of 18/30 is considered a pass.

The final exam grade, which will be recorded on Almaesami, is the arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the Pathology and Pathological anatomy sections.

Working students, those who have chosen the flexible curriculum, and students who have not yet completed their coursework can also take the full exam in one sitting. This exam will consist of a single oral exam requiring detailed answers to three questions that relate to the two subjects of the course. A practical exam, consisting of observation and commentary on a pathological image of a case of a classic aquatic disease, particularly regarding fish, is also included.

The exam is passed if all required tests are passed, and the final grade is the arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the various sections of the exam, expressed in thirtieths. A minimum final grade of 18/30 is required.

Failures do not result in a grade being awarded, but only a judgment (withdrawn or rejected) recorded on the electronic transcript compiled on AlmaEsami. Therefore, they do not affect the student's academic career.

The student may reject the grade according to University Regulations at least once by notifying the recording instructor via email within 5 working days.

The recording instructor for this course is Luciana Mandrioli.

Students can register for exam sessions through AlmaEsami (http://almaesami.unibo.it/) only at the end of the course, i.e., in June 2026. Exam sessions are offered within the timeframes listed in the academic calendar. Additional exam sessions are reserved for students who have not completed their course of study.

 

Teaching tools

Periodic kahoots at the end of the main theoretical chapters covered in class.

Pathologic images from the Veterinary Teaching Portal.

Materials relating to digital scans of slides and macroscopic specimens are available on the following platforms: https://www.askjpc.org/vspo/show_page.php

https://davisthompsonfoundation.org/noahs-arkive/

Panopto videos recorded on pathology topics and commentary on histopathological slides of fish species.

Histopathological slides of various aquatic species for microscopic examination in the practice room. Some of these cases have been digitized.

If students have difficulty understanding the material, the instructor is available to meet with them for a clarification meeting by appointment via email.

In case of difficulty understanding the course content, the instructor is available for clarification meetings, which must be scheduled via email.

Office hours

See the website of Luciana Mandrioli